Arc 1.1 Tiger, Tiger

Structure

Exposition

Tracking Through the Forest

The men looked human, but the tracks look like large cat prints, the size of a mountain lion or larger The forest becomes very dense. If the party travels off the narrow path the tracks seem to follow, Survival rolls to track (or not get lost) are at -2. Get a marching order. If they travel other than single file, they will each suffer an additional -1 Stealth rolls as each of them break through different underbrush.

Tiger Sentry Prowling

Find eaten carcass with large 4-footed prints much bigger than the ones they are following. A large male tiger prowls the area and attacks anyone that is not a rakashan. If the PCs are not Stealthy, or their group average is beaten by the tiger’s notice, it hears/smells them and begins stalking. If the tiger stalks, the PCs roll v. tiger’s Stealth to detect it before it springs on the last person in line. It will make a leaping pounce, and if it kills or incapacitates, will spring away into the darkness.


Tiger: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12+1, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8 (Bite/Claws: d12+d6+1), Notice d8, Intimidation d8, Stealth d8+2, Survival d4+4
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8
Special Abilities:

• Improved Frenzy: Great cats may make two Fighting attacks each action at no penalty.
• Low Light Vision: Great cats ignore penalties for Dim and Dark lighting.
• Leaping Pounce: Great cats can leap once per round, pouncing on their prey to best bring their mass and claws to bear. If they attack with a Wild Attack at the end of a leap, they receive an additional +2 to its damage.
• Size +2: Great cats can weigh over 500 pounds.

Conflict

Approaching the Great Tree

The rakashan tracks lead toward an immense sequoia tree on the floor of Earthfall Chasm. The Great Tree stands in a treeless clearing, near a small waterfall cascading from high above. The tree towers over a hundred feet high and boasts a massive canopy that shades an area over 200 feet in diameter. Several constructed platforms can be seen in its boughs, along with nets, rope bridge walkways, and other structures. The lowest of the platforms is fully 30’ above the ground. Surrounding the base of the tree, just outside the circle of the canopy, is a blackthorn hedge 10-12 feet high, filled with 2” thorns and thick enough to block all sight through it. The PCs have approached from the east, and no gates or openings are visible , but flickering orange light on the underside of the tree show evidence of at least one on the ground behind the hedge. Beyond the thorn hedge is a full fifty yards of treeless clearing. There is a light frost still on the ground, and the short grasses and occasional stumps are covered in a thin coating of white.

Checks

• Shooting knows that the clearing is intentional, since it’s too coincidental that there are no trees or places of cover within a comfortable bowshot from the central tree.
• Notice sees an iron cage dangling more than 40’ up, containing at least a couple of the villagers. They appear to be alive, but huddled together and shivering. A Raise notices 3 small platforms on the outer branches that each hold a Rakashan sentry with a bow.
• Survival finds tracks in the frost heading to and from the hedge, though no opening is visible.
• Battle decides to scout the other sides, and finds that the West side is covered only by a single archer...and sees a 2nd cage of three more prisoners.
• Stealth checks have a +1 because of the incessant sound of the nearby waterfall.

Entrances

There are two tunnel entrances into the hedge, one on the northeast and one on the northwest. The NW entrance is the one the recent raid used and shows the most tracks. It is also the most heavily guarded, with 2 archer platforms directly above it. The NE entrance has only a pair of tracks leading to the entrance, and the archer platform on the west side does not have a direct line of sight to the entrance. Both entrances are covered by a lid of woven bark that is secured down by a cord on the underside. A Thievery roll at +2 easily cuts the cord and defeats the lock.

Around the Trunk

There is a rope ladder leading up. On the other side of the tree, 1 Male and 2 juvenile rakashans tend a long rectangular fire. Make a Notice roll. The Male is unattentive to anything but the fire, giving a +2 Stealth rolls. All the rakashans look fairly ragged and gaunt, and their ribs are visible. If the group fails the Stealth roll, a cub will run around the tree and spot them. Any quick attack will kill the cub. A blow to knock it out will also work for half an hour.


If the PCs are coming in before the ambush goes to bed, this will be a large festival with music and dancing, celebrating the successful hunt and about to roast the wainwright. Most of the ambush will be down here, but in firelight and not paying attention to their surroundings. They will soon bring Geffroi down from the cage and begin shaving his hairy body in preparation for killing and roasting him.

Climax

A. Archer Platforms
Each small platform has an adult Rakashan armed with a bow and a dozen arrows. The platform has an outer wall that gives them half cover (-4) from attacks made from the outside of the tree radius.


1. Sleeping Area.
Depending on the time of day, 0-24 Rakashans may be here sleeping.

2. Storage
Can basically find anything but melee weapons and armor that the PCs might think they need, including some crude bows and arrows.

3. Workshop

4. Upper lookout platform
Currently unoccupied.

5. Winch

6. Tulash’s platform
Tulash and a mate can usually be found here.

7. Dining/Meeting Platform
This is where most of the rakashans tend to hang out.

Prisoner Cage West
Geoffroi (temporarily), Tobiasch.

Prisoner Cage East
Bardolf, Myles

Wasp Swarms
The smoke from the fires below makes them sleepy, but woe betide anyone near whom the hives are dropped! Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d12, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Notice d6
Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:

• Sting: Swarms inflict hundreds of tiny stings every round to their victims, hitting automatically and causing 2d4 damage to everyone in the template. Damage is applied to the least armored location (victims in completely sealed suits are immune).
• Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area effect weapons work normally, and a character can stomp or smash to inflict his damage in Strength each round. Some swarms (bees, hornets, birds) may be foiled by total immersion in Water.

Resolution

Last Stand

If the PCs have to beat a hasty retreat from overwhelming odds, suggest a “last stand” PC to hold off the foes to buy time to escape...and this PC will not survive.

The Mist

While the PCs are in the camp, the mists will spring up outside, completely obscuring vision beyond 15 ft. The cultists will pursue outside the cave into mists, but if they can’t catch the PCs on the walkway, they will give up the chase.

Relations

Adversaries

Standard Rakashans

Rakashans are savage, furred humanoids with tiger-like features, including claws and fangs. They have feral temperaments and rarely take prisoners unless food is scarce and they are planning to eat them.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Edges: Quick.
Gear: Wooden club (d8+d6) or Bow (2d6, 12/24/48).
Special Abilities:

• Infravision: Halve penalties for Illumination when attacking warm targets.
• Size 1: Rakashans are slightly larger than humans.

Tulash, Alpha Tigress

The leader of a Rakashan ambush is always the most deadly brute in the bunch.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d12, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 (8)
Gear: Gambeson(+2), battle axe (Str+d8).
Edges: Quick, Sweep
Special Abilities:

• Infravision: Halve penalties for Illumination when attacking warm targets.
• Size 1: Rakashans are slightly larger than humans.

Plot type

Rescue

Parent Plot

Arc 1: The Crucible